Family travel destinations attractions and things to do with kids in texas

Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest

Texas is a large state; its over 800 miles from east to west, and it has many family attractions. Texas has several geographic regions, so you will find many different types of places to go on a trip. Whether your kids like beaches, mountains, deserts, animals, historic sites, or just plain fun, you will find it in Texas. Here are some of my favorite places in Texas to take the kids:

In Orange, on the far southeastern edge of Texas, you can take your family on an airboat ride through the Sabine River wetlands. Youll see alligators, nutria, turtles, cranes, cypress trees, lily pads, and who knows what else on your trip through the swamp. Super Gator Tours encourages you to bring your camera, and you can even take a night tour if youre brave enough.

Beaumont has some excellent museums that will interest your family. Two of the most kid-friendly are the Fire Museum of Texas and the Texas Energy Museum. The Fire Museum has the worlds largest fire hydrant; its spotted like a dalmation. Kids can sit in the seat of a real fire truck and learn all about fire fighting history and fire safety. Tours last about an hour, and the museum is free.

The Texas Energy Museum has exhibits about the oil industry in Texas. There are animatronics of historical characters who tell the story of the Spindletop Lucas gusher in Beaumont, and its told in a humorous manner. Kids will like the giant plexiglass tube filled with petroleum products, and the first floor aquarium. The huge murals of offshore rigs on the top floor are captivating, and the museum sponsors events occasionally; check their website for dates. If you have more time in Beaumont, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas next door has an excellent childrens section, and the Tyrrell Historical Library, housed in a beautifully restored Gothic-style church, can help you find your roots.

In Galveston, you can spend the day at one of many beaches, or visit Moody Gardens. Moody Gardens has a 3D IMAX that is amazing, especially if youve never seen one, a rainforest pyramid, large aquarium with a walk-though shark tunnel, white sand beach, paddlewheel steamer, Ridefilm Theater, Discovery Pyramid, and a hotel. Its a fun and educational place to spend a day; it can get expensive if you want to visit all the attractions, although combination tickets are available.

Houston has several places for your family to have a good time. Six Flags Astroworld and Water World are located on the 610 Loop near the Astrodome and Reliant Stadium, and have roller coasters, a kids section, and lots of water rides. In April, Houston has the International Festival, with an art car parade that is sure to fascinate everyone in the family. The San Jacinto Battlegrounds and Battleship Texas are about 20 miles east of Houston, and include a museum, film about the Texas revolution, a 570 monument, and a naval warship that served in two world wars. The Houston Fat Stock Show and Rodeo is held in February and has a rodeo, well-known singers, and a large midway. Space Center Houston will educate the kids about the space program while they have fun with the interactive displays; it is located off Interstate 45S.

Austin is the state capital of Texas, and there you can visit the Texas State Capitol. Its impressive, and older kids might also like to visit the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, or the LBJ Library. Another fun thing to do in Austin is to watch the bats fly out from their daytime roosting places underneath the Congress Avenue Bridge over Town Lake at dusk. The best place to watch the bats emerge is from the Austin American-Statesman Bat Observation Platform on the southeast corner of the bridge. Take your lawn chairs and a picnic and join the crowd to watch the bats.

New Braunfels, south of Austin, has one of the largest waterparks in the world. Schlitterbahn has three miles of tube rides, and the water comes from the spring-fed Comal River, so its always very cool. There are almost 40 different water rides and pool activities at Schlitterbahn, and they range from those suitable for anyone to high thrill rides. Ive been going to Schlitterbahn since it first opened, and they continue to add new rides and safety features continuously. Toddlers can have just as much fun as teens, and you can stay right on the premises at the 200-room resort hotel. Schlitterbahn also has a new park on South Padre Island. Check their website for descriptions of the rides and information on prices or hotel reservations. Less expensive alternatives to Schlitterbahn in New Braunfels are tubing on the Guadalupe River and Landa Park, which has a giant cool water pool and a smaller warm water pool.

San Antonio is south of New Braunfels and Austin, and has many attractions for families. Probably the best-known is The Alamo; tour guides will tell you the story of the 1836 battle there. Theres an IMAX film about the Alamo at the IMAX Theater Rivercenter, near the Alamo; the theater also shows other IMAX movies. The Rivercenter is also a shopping mall, and the River Walk is near the Alamo; kids like the Riverbarge tours, which start below the Rivercenter Marriott, and there are plenty of shops and restaurants lining the river.

Another place to go in San Antonio is Six Flags Fiesta Texas, a theme park that has a waterpark, rides, including both family rides and thrill rides, and musical shows. The park is in an old rock quarry, and theres a state-of-the-art laser and fireworks show on the cliff wall at the end of each day. The park is open during times that children are out of school; check their website for dates.

Other attractions in San Antonio include SeaWorld, where can see shows and cool off on water rides, Splashtown, Guiness World Records Museum and Ripleys Haunted Adventure, Malibu Castle, which has miniature golf, bumper boats and sprint cars, The Plaza Wax Museum and Ripleys Believe It or Not, the San Antonio Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and the Magic Time Machine restaurant. You can also go to HemisFair Park, which has gardens, waterfalls and fountains, a childrens playground, and the Tower of the Americas. The Tower has a 605 high observation deck and a revolving restaurant.

Corpus Christi has the Texas State Aquarium, the USS Lexington Museum on the Bay, which is an aircraft carrier with the MEGA Theater, the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, with the Ships of Christopher Columbus, and a downtown seawall for walking, skating and biking. Beautiful Padre Island, with 113 miles of white sand and shell beaches, is nearby. Port Aransas and Mustang Island are nearby, and boats that will take you out to see dolphins are available for hire there. Theres a ferry to Mustang Island, and you can sometimes see dolphins swimming alongside the ferry.

If your family is interested in Western adventure, visit the King Ranch in Kingsville, south of Corpus Christi. The historic ranch, now a major agribusiness, is larger than the state of Rhode Island and encompasses 1,300 square miles. Theres a museum and saddle shop, and you can see cattle and horses and learn about the history of the ranch. Visit their excellent website for more information.

If you want to go all the way to the western part of Texas, you can visit McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, Big Bend National Park, Monahans Sandhills State Park, where you can sled down sand dunes, or Balmorhea State Park, with its 1.75 acre swimming pool that is as deep as 25 in some parts.

Near Abilene is Buffalo Gap Historic Village, a recreation of a Texas pioneer village. You can visit the blacksmith shop, a doctors office, a barber shop and railroad depot, and learn what it was like to live without the conveniences of today. Theres a Texas History Store where you can purchase history-related gifts. Theres also a Living History program on weekends.

You can get a taste of the Old West in Amarillo if you visit the Palo Duro Canyon. Watch the musical Heavenly Country on Sundays during the summer, take a wagon ride and eat a cowboy breakfast, or ride horses at the Old West Stables. Travel on the historic Route 66, or try to eat the 72-oz. steak at the Big Texan Steak Ranch (if you can eat it in one hour, its free!). See the bizarre Cadillac Ranch, ten Cadillacs halfway buried in a field off Interstate 40W.

In Dallas and Fort Worth, you will be able to find many attractions. Six Flags Over Texas, a large amusement park, and Hurricane Harbor, a waterpark, are located on Interstate 30 between the two cities in Arlington. Fort Worth has Old West attractions in the Stockyards, such as the herding of longhorn cattle down the street twice a day, a rodeo, and a stockyards maze. The Tarantula steam train runs from Fort Worth to Grapevine and is fun for kids to ride.

In Dallas, there are museums that would be interesting for kids in Fair Park. The Dallas Aquarium, Museum of Natural History, Age of Steam Railroad Museum, African-American Museum and Science Place are all located in Fair Park, and during October, the State Fair of Texas is held there also. Dallas and Fort Worth both have excellent zoos and botanical gardens. In September, Plano, north of Dallas, has a hot-air balloon festival, with hundreds of colorful balloons on display. Older kids would also be interested in the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, which has exhibits on the legacy and assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Texas is a very large state, and you will probably not be able to visit all the major cities in one trip unless you plan to stay a long time. Use the internet, or order brochures, and decide which attractions are best for your family. As you travel, you will find more and more things to educate and entertain your family in Texas.